Clinical, Patient-centered Outcomes and Laser Doppler Flowmetry Using Double Blade Scalpel (DBS) and De-epithelized (DE) SCTG Associated With Coronally Advanced Flap (CAF): a Split-mouth Randomized Clinical Trial

Clinical parameters and patient-centered outcomes

Periodontal clinical examination was performed by a blind and calibrated examiner (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.72) using a North Carolina periodontal probe (PCPUNC-Hu-Friedy®). Periodontal parameters were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months postoperatively and included:

1. Recession depth (RD) - Distance in millimeters of cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) to gingival margin measured at the midbuccal aspect of the tooth;
2. Recession width (RW) - Distance between interproximal gingival margins of GR with periodontal probe positioned at CEJ;
3. Probing depth (PD) - Distance in millimeters from the gingival margin to the bottom of the gingival sulcus;
4. Clinical attachment level (CAL) - Distance in millimeters from the CEJ to the bottom of the gingival sulcus;
5. Keratinized tissue width (KTW) - Distance in millimeters from the gingival margin to the mucogingival junction measured at the midbuccal aspect of the tooth;
6. Keratinized tissue thickness (KTT): determined 1.5 mm apically to gingival margin with an anesthesia needle and a rubber endodontic stop inserted perpendicularly into the soft tissue and measured with a digital caliper.

The index proposed by Zucchelli & DeSanctis (2000) was used to calculate percentage of root coverage (%RC), as follows:

RRC=(100.(RD baseline-RD 6 months))/(RD baseline) Patient centered outcomes and professional assessment were evaluated with visual analog scales (VAS). VAS was administered verbally to the patients to assess aesthetics and postoperative pain/discomfort. Patients were asked to make a mark in a scale between 0 (not satisfied or extreme pain) and 10 (very satisfied or no pain). Pain and discomfort were recorded after 7 days and patient´s aesthetic evaluation after 6 months. An experienced periodontist (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.95) evaluated aesthetic outcome after 6 months.